Judges’ chambers threatened by renovation plan

Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, reports no movement in his effort to derail a $51-million renovation project at the federal building in Roanoke, headquarters of the Western District federal courts.

Goodlatte, who has criticized the project as wasteful and ill-planned, told Roanoke lawyers he met recently with two of the federal judges who work at the Poff Federal Building. He said he’s been told their chambers will have barricades installed while the windows of the building are replaced.

Goodlatte seems doubtful his public criticism of the General Services Administration will change the course of the project, given the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches. “We can embarrass the heck out of them, but we can’t tell them to stop working on the project,” he said.

Judges’ chambers threatened by renovation plan

Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, reports no movement in his effort to derail a $51-million renovation project at the federal building in Roanoke, headquarters of the Western District federal courts.

Goodlatte, who has criticized the project as wasteful and ill-planned, told Roanoke lawyers he met recently with two of the federal judges who work at the Poff Federal Building. He said he’s been told their chambers will have barricades installed while the windows of the building are replaced.

Goodlatte seems doubtful his public criticism of the General Services Administration will change the course of the project, given the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches. “We can embarrass the heck out of them, but we can’t tell them to stop working on the project,” he said.